Saber Interactive have parted ways with Embracer Group, buying back the rights to both themselves and numerous other studios in a deal initially valued at $247 million. The deal includes 38 ongoing game development projects plus the rights to 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, New World Interactive, Nimble Giant, Mad Head, Digic, Fractured Byte and PR agency Sandbox Strategies, as well as Metro developers 4A Games and Pinball FX maker Zen Studios via options.
Helldivers 2’s new Cutting Edge premium Warbond is live now, adding new weapons, gear, and armor to the smash hit PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter.
The Warbond, which is Helldivers 2’s take on a battle pass, is not time-limited. This means that once you buy it, you’re free to unlock its rewards whenever you like. The previous premium Warbond, Steeled Veterans, remains available.
Cutting Edge costs 1,000 Super Credits. While you can earn Super Credits from gameplay and the Warbond itself, you can also buy them for real-world money. Via the in-game shop, 1,000 Super Credits costs $9.99.
The EX Series Prototypes
Expanded arsenal
Three new capes are included in the Warbond, with matching player cards for each cape, as well as three new emotes. There’s also a new booster, called Localisation Confusion, that increases the time between enemy encounters.
There’s loads going on in the world of Helldivers 2 right now. Developer Arrowhead just quietly released flying bugs in the game, and last week made mechs available. Meanwhile, Arrowhead has asked for the Helldivers 2 community’s help in coming up with ideas for the “hard to solve” problem of players kicking teammates who don’t have meta loadouts.
Helldivers 2 has become one of the surprise hits of 2024 since launching in February, topping the charts on Steam and reportedly selling around three million copies. According to at least one analyst, it’s still growing. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 review to find out why it’s going down so well.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Bat!
Europe’s next Nintendo Switch Online free Game Trial kicks off today and it is none other than Poncle’s devilishly addictive roguelike, Vampire Survivors. From today (14th March) until 23rd March, you can get into as much of the monster-hunting mayhem as you would like, for free! That is, as long as you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, of course.
If you have somehow managed to last this long without picking up Vampire Survivors, we can’t recommend it highly enough. The game is a tough sell. It’s a top-down, pixel-art roguelike where you kill hoards of monsters with a series of ever-upgrading auto-firing weapons, but on launch last year, we couldn’t put it down.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
While we felt it wasn’t an amazing game, we quite liked The Lord Of The Rings: Return To Moria’s dwarven survival antics. It was a bit of cosy fun for a group of pals, and thankfully, open-ended co-op play looks to be the focus of the next big update, which adds a new sandbox mode that lets you pick rocks and sink pints free of storyline constraints. Not to mention new armour, weapons, and quality of life improvements like the ability to pause your single player sessions.
Saber Interactive has split from Embracer, with at least 38 ongoing game development projects among the divested assets and over 3,000 staff moving across. However, a number of key studios remain at Embracer, including Tripwire, Aspyr, and Beamdog.
The deal is initially valued at $247 million, with the buyer named as Beacon Interactive, a company set up and controlled by Saber Interactive co-founder Matthew Karch. As a result, Embracer has ceased all operations in Russia. It appears jobs were secured as part of the deal.
There are a number of interesting points in the deal. For example, Beacon Interactive has the option right to acquire Metro developer 4A Games and Pinball developer Zen Studios for a fixed price within a certain time period. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Beacon Interactive has indeed decided to buy both studios. Long-term license and publishing rights to all current and future PC and console games in the Metro franchise are held within the Embracer operative group Plaion, Embracer said.
The studios and their owned or licensed IP now a part of Beacon Interactive are:
Embracer will retain the following studios and companies:
While Saber Interactive has split from Embracer, Embracer itself retains 14 Saber games already in the works, including two joint projects with Beacon Interactive. They are:
Lars Wingefors, co-founder and group CEO of Embracer, called the deal a “win-win solution” for Embracer and the parts of Saber that now leave the embattled company. Wingefors said it was “safeguarding many developer jobs” under the new ownership. Crucially, Wingefors called the Saber deal the “first transaction”, with a deal for Borderlands maker Gearbox to leave Embracer waiting in the wings.
“This divestment leaves both parties in much better positions to grow our respective businesses,” Karch said. “I will continue to remain a large, long-term shareholder of Embracer and we will remain partners on several ongoing and future projects. This transaction also safeguards the livelihoods of hundreds of professionals, many of whom I have worked with for over two decades.”
Last month, Embracer warned of further layoffs despite letting go 1,387 staff since its high-profile restructuring began in June. Embracer’s total headcount had reduced by 904 during the second quarter of its financial year, then by another 483 in the third quarter. That amounted to 8% of the group’s global workforce. The company also canceled 29 unannounced games during the two quarters.
At the time, Wingefors said Embracer was in the process of selling off parts of its business, Borderlands developer Gearbox up for sale. Embracer bought Gearbox in February 2021 as part of an acquisition spree that included snapping up Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, among many other studios.
Embracer Group’s financial struggles began following the collapse of a $2 billion deal, reportedly with Saudi government funded company Savvy Games Group. The Swedish firm has since come under fire for the sweeping cuts it has already made, including the closure of long-running Saints Row maker Volition.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Palworld has been a standout entry in the gaming world for 2024, rocking the Steam charts and creating a little bit of controversy with its supposedly recognizable designs from another pocket monster-themed franchise. Drama aside, it’s a big game and continues to track well on the PC charts, despite it still being in early access, boasting an impressive 15 million copies sold.
There’s still more to check out besides the resource gathering and survival dynamics as well, with co-op opportunities, and even large servers accommodating up to 32 people. Should you desire to create a community-driven world-space similar in vein to Minecraft; setting up a server for Palworld has never been more straightforward. Allow us to guide you through the process.
TL;DR: Hostinger is the best gaming server provider for Palworld right now (see here), with their plans starting from $14.99 per month. Use discount code IGN10 to get 10% off as well.
Before we kick things off, it’s worth noting that only the Steam version of Palworld can have dedicated servers. So, if you’ve been playing via Game Pass or on Xbox, you unfortunately aren’t able to create your own server at this time. If you are playing on Steam, read on!
For starters, you’ll need a decent hosting provider that can offer game servers, and one of our most recommended options at the moment is Hostinger. Known for its cost-effective and user-friendly virtual private servers tailored for gamers, their 16GB plans start at just $14.99/month (£10.99 for those in the UK). For Palworld, we’re recommending you opt for a VPS equipped with the following specifications:
Have you been considering cracking open your own Palworld server? There are plenty of reasons to try it out, for one it’s your own dedicated space with no queue times for entry, and an entirely curated multiplayer experience. Plus, if you’re setting it up with a group of friends, the cost of hosting can be split evenly and can even end up being incredibly cost effective for what you’re creating. If Palworld is your friend group’s jam, then it’s a good time to be had by all — a dedicated server could just be the icing on the cake for your experience going forward.
Upon acquiring your plan, there are two primary methods for server setup. One requires some networking knowledge, while the other offers a more user-friendly approach through its Game Panel interface. Regardless of the method chosen, the initial VPS setup involves assigning a username, location, and password, followed by ensuring the server is operational via your server dashboard.
For those utilizing the Game Panel:
For the technically inclined, here’s the process using Linux commands:
– Connect to your VPS using a client such as PuTTY, your computer’s Terminal app, or Hostinger’s browser terminal
– Create a secondary user, grant superuser privileges, and switch to that account
– Adjust the server firewall settings to permit Palworld communication using the following commands:
– Subsequently, install the Palworld server files using the commands:
– Initiate the Palworld server with the command:
– Regardless of the chosen method, your private Palworld server is now accessible.
– Launch Palworld and opt for “Join Multiplayer Game.”
Otherwise, for more great offers on gaming and tech right now, consider following @IGNDeals on Twitter/X or Instagram, or checking out our best VPN roundup, and the best gaming PC for 2024.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Update: Synchrony is now available on the Switch.
Update :
Here’s your reminder that the Synchrony DLC for Crypt of the NecroDancer is now available on Nintendo Switch. This also includes the free Version 4.0.0 update, which comes with some quality-of-life changes and more.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
A new wave is available.
Last week alongside some Mother 3 icons (exclusive to Japan), Nintendo revived a batch of Splatoon 3 icons globally. Now, in a new update, a another wave of these icons has returned.
This has been highlighted by ‘NSO Icons Alerts’ on social media once again. The latest wave features cartoon-like designs of Inklings, Octolings, and even some backgrounds. As usual, you’ll be able to get the icons for 10 Platinum Points and the backgrounds for 5 Platinum Points. Here’s a look:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Here’s what you can expect from Version 1.5.0.
Konami has today rolled out a new update for Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, but the catch is it’s not actually available on the Switch yet.
When it does arrive on Nintendo’s hybrid system and other console platforms, this will bump the game up to Version 1.5.0. The current plan is to release it on these devices by “late March”.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hi, everyone! Wynn here. After a short break, we’re back with another Xbox Insider Team interview. Today we’re chatting with Donovan—a Technical Program Manager who primarily works with the OS and Hardware Flighting sector. How’s it going Donovan?
Going well! Glad to have the time to sit down and chat.
Absolutely man. To begin, let’s tell the readers at home a little about yourself.
Cool cool. So, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas but I moved to Seattle back in 1999, so I’ve been here 24 years now.
There’s a county back in Georgia spelled like “Houston” but they pronounce it “House-ton”, which always confused me as a kid.
Yeah, and some Houstonian’s will even say, “You-ston” as well, so it’s really dealer’s choice.
You got to Seattle in ’99, so are you another Microsoft near-lifer like Dean? [Note for Readers: Dean is another member of the team.]
Oh, no. I only started here back in 2017. Before that I was doing property management for multi-family housing.
Wow, that’s quite the career shift! What made you decide to make the change?
I’ve always been really big into technology, especially building computers. So, an opportunity presented itself to interview for this team and I knew I had to go for it.
Oh cool! You started directly on this team?
Yeah. I remember I had been out on Lake Chelan the week before the interview, and I got sunburned. I was hoping that it would tan over before I had to go in. Well, of course, it didn’t. I walked into the interview room with Brad and Leland, and I remember thinking how silly I looked with a peeling forehead.
Well, they obviously didn’t mind!
No, the interview actually went really well; all things considered. The maybe slightly more embarrassing thing is that shortly after the interview I ended up going to Coachella and getting burnt again. Which ended up still being visible when I took my original employee photo.
Oh man. Those last almost as long as a driver’s license.
Haha. Exactly! Luckily, it wasn’t too visible, but it was definitely there for several years.
I had something similar happen on an old license in high school. They said my hair was obscuring my face, so they made me put it up. But I didn’t have a hair tie, so they gave me a scrunchie and I had to just throw it up. It looked awful.
Okay, so it’s 2017, and you’re here on the Xbox Insider Team. What happens next?
I was mostly working with Jon with regard to collecting feedback from all of the Xbox Insiders and surfacing that to our engineering team. I also partnered with Austin to optimize the survey / reporting experiences all up.
I did that for around three years before I was offered a position on the Customer Support team. So, I transferred over there and worked on Xbox Support for a while. After the pandemic—and through an org shift—I actually ended up back on the Xbox Insider team. Now, I support hardware readiness on devices and accessories for both first- and third-party teams. We also collect tons of data to help with engineering.
Wow! You must have come over with Crews then? [Note for Readers: Crews is another member of the team.]
Yeah, we moved over together as part of that shift.
Sweet deal. Well, can you tell us anything about what you’re working on currently?
Definitely! Right now, I’m [REDACTED].
Oh. Oh, I can’t say any of that can I?
Haha. Sorry, I set you up a little. Unfortunately, the nature of what I work on means I can’t really talk about much publicly. I can’t even tell most of the team half of what I’m doing.
Ah, that’s why your calendar had all those “Top Secret” meetings today.
Something like that.
All right. Well, for the things that you do have clearance to discuss. What’s been your favorite thing you’ve worked on for XIP?
Oh, hands down it was the Project Scorpio launch. That was just such an exciting time, and it’s easily been the most fun I’ve had at Microsoft so far.
I still remember getting my Project Scorpio Edition in retail stores. That was a fun launch.
Let’s move into the rapid-fire questions. Do you have a game that’s really impacted you over the years?
I’ve got a couple of more “artsy / indie” picks. I really love Firewatch and LIMBO. Kind of different games, but both of their atmospheres just really sucked me in. Then, for something a little more recent, I just can’t put down Apex Legends. It’s so good.
I played a good amount of Apex when it first launched, but I ended up going back to my one true love Fornite.
I like the first-person and movement aspects better, so that’s why I stuck with it.
All right. Do you have an all-time favorite song or album?
Hmm. 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago is definitely my favorite song, off their Chicago II album.
Great track. The guitar solo rips.
Yeah, Hendrix even said in interviews that he thought Chicago’s guitarist at the time was the best in the world.
I should check more of them out. I don’t go too far back into that era often.
Okay, any comfort show that you can just put on for background noise?
South Park. Doesn’t matter what season, I could have any episode on and enjoy it.
What about outside of the world of entertainment? Any interests or hobbies?
I absolutely love the outdoors. Being in nature, camping, I can’t get enough. I’m also an avid snowboarder.
You and Tyler should shred some time then. Though, it does occur to me that if you had stayed in Houston, you might never have found snowboarding.
Ha. Funny how life works out that way, huh?
Truly. Well, I see we’re coming up on time. Any final thoughts for our Community?
Just that I’ve always really enjoyed working to make sure that all Xbox Insiders have a voice here, and that I really thank everyone who has submitted feedback over the years. I’ve definitely read a ton of it and it’s so important to our business.
Beautifully said. Thanks so much for stopping by Donovan.
The pleasure was mine!
Xbox Insiders, be sure to be on the lookout for more content all throughout February including more interviews from the team, a trip down memory lane, and so much more. All of our 10th Anniversary content can be found on our Hub Page.
Until next time! Wynn/
The post Get To Know Our Team: Donovan – Technical Program Manager (OS/Hardware Flighting & Hardware Readiness) appeared first on Xbox Wire.
